How To Save A Life
by Paoshirou Hoshi
Summary: disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, this is a Taishirou ficc with a bit of sorato and hinted Koumi. It's about the realistic tendency for a jock and a computer nerd's friendship to have bumps in the road. Could be a songfic to The Fray's 'how to save a life.' Love that song.
1. Summer Plans

How To Save A Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or the characters or the song. I do, however, own the story. XD And that's what counts!

This is a little TaiShirou fic, nothing romantic or shounen ai, just being realistic of how friendships of a jock and computer geek tend to get ugly sometimes.

**Chapter one**

School was out for the summer, the older digidestined (except Jyou who goes to a different school) were walking out the school together. They chatted about what they plan on doing for the summer, or at least the few weeks of it.

"I'm going cross-country with the band, our newest album just hit platinum if you can believe that so this is just a little something to celebrate," Yamato said coolly, taking out his old harmonica and playing a tune.

Taichi stared at disbelief. "Platinum?

"Really? I didn't see that on the newspaper at all." Koushirou voiced out.

"It did not hit platinum, Yama-kun, it could've, but not quite. You missed the quota." Sora said with a slight smile.

Yamato shrugged it off nonchalantly, taking the harmonica off his lips momentarily. "Not the way I see it. You coming along?"

"Duh. Last time I didn't, you couldn't keep your hands off a girl, and caused a scandal since the paparazzi knows you're dating me."

Yamato threw her a look, putting the hand holding the harmonica altogether. "For the last time, that was not me. I wasn't the one who broke through security to lay a kiss on my mouth." He sighed.

Taichi grinned. "Aww, poor Yama, girls can't keep their hands off you," He teased. "Even having a girlfriend didn't get you out of that one." Sora and Yamato threw him a look.

"Shut up, Taichi, I didn't ask your opinion."

Koushirou smiled. "Maybe you can ask Taichi-san for lessons, you know, how to repel girls," He grinned at the soccer player. "Maybe that would do the trick."

Sora and Yamato laughed. Taichi looked indignant.

"You're one to talk, when was the last time you dated?"

Koushirou simply adjusted his backpack, "The last time Mimi was here. Thank you for asking, I'd ask her out again if you want me too, but I wouldn't want to her to go to any trouble getting here without a prodigious plan for a date. And you?"

Taichi's face grew hot.

Yamato nudged his best friend. "He got you beat, Taichi." He said. "So how about you and Kou-kun? Want to tag along and see if any of my groupies could have a thing for soccer idiots?"

"Nah, not my kind of fun," Taichi waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, I got this soccer camp to get to, y' know? If I ever want to play at the world cup series—"

"Emphasize on 'IF.'" Sora giggled.

Taichi glared but chose to ignore it. "I gotta step it up, so you won't hear from me for a month. I don't think they got internet where we're training."

Yamato looked up heavenward in mock-relief. "Not hearing from you must be the best thing to happen to me… Aside from dating Sora, of course."

Sora blushed and smiled, taking her boyfriend's hand. Yamato gave it a squeeze.

Koushirou frowned slightly. It didn't escape Yamato's eye at all.

"Yo Kou-kun, what's wrong?"

Koushirou shook his head. "Nothing, but it seems to me that I'm staying behind while you guys get out of town. Jyou-sempai's studying for the summer at Hokkaido, you and Sora are going cross-country and Taichi-san is going to a soccer camp. I'm stuck in Odaiba programming computer. Not that I don't love programming, though."

Taichi put an arm around his smaller friend. "Dude, then no problem, you could come with me. I mean, when was the last time we got to play together?" He grinned.

Koushirou smiled though his eyes narrowed. "You're kidding, right?"

"Iie."

Yamato rolled his eyes. "Taichi, last time you played with Koushirou, and it wasn't really a real game," he added with a tone "it was Takeru, Koushirou, Daisuke, Ken and I against you, Iori and Jyou, yet you still managed to injure Koushirou a little. And he's your friend! I doubt the guys at camp would extend the same courtesy."

Taichi looked sheepish. "I got in the zone! And Jyou was all right, playing goal keeper."

"I suspect he was mostly trying to stay alive," Koushirou smirked. "Thanks for offering anyway, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Yamato asked next. "You could come with Sora and I."

Koushirou declined. "I would just be typing away the whole time there while you practice and Sora stares while you're doing so, not exactly the right way to add flavor to a concert tour."

Sora pouted. "I don't just stare…"

"Nope, you fantasized," Yamato grinned. "about me too, I bet."

Sora pulled a tongue out. "Egoistic."

"Well. Then, we just gotta hang out when we get back then." Taichi grinned. "And I'll tell you how amazing I was and maybe get you a video of my best moments."

Koushirou narrowed his eyes. "Can't wait."

"Yeah, I'll pick up some cool DVD's, so we can have something real to watch, and we can have a movie marathon and just be boys, plus a girl if Sora wants to come. " Yamato suggested, then added wearily. "Let's just hope Jyou-sempai wouldn't mind taking a break from studying by then."

"Seriously," Taichi groaned. "What's with that guy? As if six months studying in school ain't enough."

"If you probably put ten percent the effort he does, you're grades won't be suffering too bad and Koushirou-kun won't have to stay up till midnight with you for the finals." Sora smirked.

Taichi changed the subject. "Here's my bus! See ya 'round guys, I'm leaving for camp by Friday, feel free see me off."

"I don't feel like abusing my freedom, thanks." Yamato said drily. Taichi looked hurt. The blonde rolled his eyes. "I'm kidding. I got to prepare our stuff for the tour, we're leaving the day after you do, I'll see if I can stop by, though."

"Or just send me, which is more likely." Sora murmured.

Koushirou nodded. "I can make it, though. See you then."

Taichi grinned his trademark one. "You got it pal!" He hopped on the bus and went his way.

(A/N: I don't know if they really need a bus to get to the apartment but whatever! It's my story so there! R&R please, stay tune for chapter two. This was mostly a introduction than anything else.)


	2. Departure Bentos

A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating lately. I'm relatively new in college life and ffnet so until I perfected my time management skills, you guys just gotta bear with my slow updates. I don't own Digimon, or the song I will use soon, just the story and Koushirou (my twin: Yeah right, you wish you owned him! You don't even have a plushie!  
Me: I can dream can't I?)  
On with the chapter!

**Chapter two**

Taichi Yagami was never one to get up early, especially if it was for going to school. But today was an exception since it was the day he leaves for soccer camp, and that excited him enough to keep him from waking up later like he usually does.

The bearer of the Crest of Courage really loved Soccer, to put it mildly.

He made sure he had everything. He was bringing two bags. One for his regular clothes, the other for his soccer cleats and jerseys. Yagami Taichi wanted to be the star of the camp, and he was going to make sure it was gonna happen.

He was a teenage boy, and that's what it was all about: Find an interest and make yourself known for it.

In simpler words Koushirou would rarely use: Popularity.

For the first time ever, Taichi was the first one at school. Of course he wasn't there to attend classes but that was beside the point. Well, no one who knew him could blame the soccer athlete. The Digidestines had to help the Digi-world get back to its former glory, such is their duty. Even though Oikawa gave up his life to speed up the process, they still had to do their fair share of rebuilding. So he missed two soccer summer workshops for the Digiworld. He was a Junior turning senior, so that counted as two years of high school summer vacations spent on his duty as the leader of the Digidestines.

Taichi didn't regret or held anything against having to put the Digi-world's best interest ahead of his own life. All Digidestines couldn't bear leaving the place that taught them about themselves and life in such a bad shape, plus he didn't want Agumon's home to look like a baby trampled on its town toy set, so he had to be the parent and clean it.

(A/N: As a side note, you seen the last episode toei digimon poster? It made Taichi look like a father of the digidestined family or something, especially with Daisuke looking like him and acting like season1 Taichi and plus he was giving Agumon a piggy back ride ...  
[or a shoulder ride, is there a term for that?]  
... so I got the idea from that.)

But now that the Digi-world was back to its old self, he would even go as far as saying it looked better now, Taichi was itching to focus on his life here, not a Digidestined, but a regular teenage boy.

Of course, the tan, wild-haired leader was never one to stay put while waiting for everyone else to arrive, or just waiting for anything in general since everybody usually waited on him, so he got off his bum and decided to practice the soccer drills that he learned from being at the school soccer team.

He was in the middle of dribbling the ball from his knee to his head when the said ball was slapped away and went forward.

"Eh?" The brunette looked behind him but saw nothing.

"Boo!"

A blur of red jumped from a crouch and popped up infront of him and Taichi yelped, promptly falling back.

Koushirou laughed, holding two bento boxes, one on top of the other. "Guess there are some advantages of being shorter than you."

Taichi scowled at him. "Jeez Koushirou, what gives? What are you doing here for?"

"I thought you wanted someone to see you off." Koushirou said with a smirk, but his tone sounded hurt.

Taichi being Taichi, and not his keener blond friend, didn't notice.

"Well, If that's how I was going to be seen off, maybe I shouldn't have ask." The tan brunette said jokingly.

Koushirou decided to humor him, although he didn't really think anything was funny.

"Well, if that's how you feel, guess I'm going to have to eat everything here so Yamato and Sora's efforts won't go to waste." He said with a playful tone and mock-disappointment.

Taichi looked up. "Uhhh what? They fixed something up for me?" He blinked.

"Yeah, but if that's how you are gonna be when someone sees you off, I'm afraid I might have to eat it all myself so as to not disappoint the efforts they put into it. Shame." There was that tone of mock-disappointment again.

"Whoa whoa! Now wait a sec, Kou! I didn't mean it. jeez, can't you take a joke? You don't have to eat everything, come on!"

Koushirou smirked. Taichi was just too predictable when it came to food.

"Besides, they're bentos made for me! Gimme 'em!"

And whiny.

The two friends went to sit on a bench a little way off the school lot, but infront of it, before opening the bentos, revealing Chocolate covered Onigiri (A/N: Inspired by Kitty Allie's 'Chocolate Cover' Read it! It exudes awesomeness!), extra spicy sushi, obviously Yamato's courtesy, and teriyaki beef strips. Koushirou got himself an onigiri, avoiding the sushi to avoid subjecting himself to dragon breath, and a single beef strip. And that was it for sharing.

Before Koushirou could even have the chance to swallow his first chew of onigiri, Taichi was finished with the sushi and massacring the onigiris and strips, letting the flavor wash out the spice from the sushi instead of drinking water.

Yamato once jokingly explained that to audience present, Koushirou one of them: "He needs water incase he chokes, by the rate he's going, he could choke on his own life air."

Faster than Koushirou could blink, he was now downing the canteen of water he brought from home and was wondering how he planned on refilling it before the bus arrives and leaves.

As if to answer the unspoken thought, Taichi kept the canteen and pulled out another, taking a little only though.

"Jeez Tai-san, take it easy next time. I was scared you might swallow the whole bentos if you could, let alone the chopsticks." Koushirou said wearily. "I need something to bring back to Sora-san, too."

Taichi placed the second canteen down, still pretty full as he pretty much only took a sip. He looked at his friend sheepishly. "Sorry man, I'll try to leave more for you next time."

"That wasn't the point I meant to drive, but your thoughtfulness is much appreciated."

"... Can I have your beef strip?"

Koushirou rolled his eyes, handing over his untouched strip. "I retract my former statement." Taichi ate it in a nano.

"Thanks Kou. By the way, what's with Sora and Yamato?"

"They are currently fan-blocked in Ishida-san's tv station. They figured you would skip breakfast though and be here early, excited as you are, so they opt to prepare you a dish." The shorter teen explained. "Yamato-san didn't want you to think he was really serious the other day."

"Same old Yamato and his Crest of Friendship." Taichi shrugged. "Well that's cool of them. Didn't expect that. Thanks for bringing 'em to me, Kou."

Koushirou's smile looked a bit sad. Taichi noticed but before he could comment, the red head replied, "It's fine, Tai-san. It's the least I could do for a friend."

"Are you okay, Kou?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Um, I dunno," The brunette said mildly, tucking his hands behind his head. "You kinda got all distant there for a second."

"Did I?" Koushirou looked down, as if his feet looked a lot more interesting.

"Yeah. What's up, man? C'mon, you can tell me. I'm your friend." Taichi grinned cockily, a hand on Koushiro's shoulder.

"I wish that were more believable." Koushirou blurted to his own horror. Taichi actually thought about that.

Taichi frowned, letting the hand drop. "Why Koushirou? Am I not being a good friend? Did I do something wrong to upset you?" then he added in his more Tai-like joking self. "Did you want more of the bentos that badly?"

Koushirou smiled but it was short-lived. "No, no. You didn't do anything wrong." He finally looked Taichi's way. "And I don't mind that you're stomach is a black hole either." He said to humor him.

"Then what? What's wrong?"

"I think... I am."

Taichi rose a brow. "You're what, wrong? And for what, exactly?"

"I don't know, for being me?"

"There is nothing wrong with being you, Koushirou." Taichi snapped. "What made you think that was wrong?"

"Because people can't seem to believe it that we're friends-friends, not friends-tutor." Koushirou admitted, fidgeting.

Taichi sighed. "Well, what do they know, right?" He grinned. "We saved the world tons of times, if people can't get used to a jock being friends with a nerd, that's their problem."

Koushirou looked taken aback, Taichi wondered why till his friend asked, with an injured expression: "So... So you think of me as a nerd too, do you?"

Taichi felt conscience Yamato mind slap him in the face. "I... I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

Koushirou stood up. "I need to go."

"Come on Kou, I didn't mean it." Taichi frowned. "I... You know you really are my friend, right? I just say things without thinking first, that's all."

Koushirou smiled but it was strained. "I believe that."

Taichi didn't know if by that he meant that he was his friend or about not thinking.

"Are we cool?"

"Yeah, sure Taichi-san, whichever you want."

"Do you still have to go? Or are you gonna wait with me for the bus to-"

Taichi heard a horn and just noticed the bus parked and several other guys boarding it.

"Erm," Taichi looked at an amused Koushirou. "So I guess that's why you said you needed to go."

Koushirou laughed, "Something like that."

"Okay... See you in month? Movie marathon?"

"Sure, if you don't forget about it after such straineous training. Or do you wish I take the intiative to remind you when you get back?"

Taichi grinned. They were cool again."The latter sounds better."

"Just be sure you will at least be remotely conscious to catch my reminder."

The two shared a laugh.

The tan brunette rushed to board the bus while the red head walked away from the bench with the bentos and Taichi's empty canteen which he ask him to take home since it was emptied before he even got to camp.

On the ride out of town, Taichi saw Koushirou walking towards a still crowded TV station, he caught his eyes and waved at him enthusiastically. Koushirou smiled and waved back.

And whatever awkwardness he had caused a while back, he'd make sure he wouldn't do it again.

A/N: Okay. Did anyone get the mind slap? Well, okay, so Yamato is Taichi's conscience. I don't get the idea of your conscience looking like you like those shoulder angels and demon, if your conscience is you do you really think it's much of a conscience? I'm just sayin' that if that were the case, you'll just keep agreeing with whatever you like no cigar.)


End file.
